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11 Expressions Only a True Local Connecticut Native Will Understand


Connecticut may be a small state, but it has a big personality—part New England charm, part New York commuter chaos, and a dash of “we were here before America was a thing” energy. If you’ve ever driven on I-95, argued about the best pizza, or survived a winter Nor’easter, you know that Nutmeggers (yes, that’s what we’re called) have a language all their own. So, if you want to sound like a true local and not some lost tourist looking for Yale, here are 11 phrases you need to know.

1. “It’s tag sale season.”

Translation: Garage sales are for amateurs. In Connecticut, we don’t have yard sales, garage sales, or rummage sales—we have tag sales. And if you don’t go looking for antique furniture and old VHS tapes at least once, are you even from here?

2. “I’m heading to The City.”

Translation: I’m going to New York. It doesn’t matter that Boston is closer for half the state—The City always means NYC. And yes, it’s perfectly normal to commute two hours each way for work.

3. “Just take the Merritt.”

Translation: Prepare for a scenic drive filled with terrible drivers and sudden exits. The Merritt Parkway is Connecticut’s prettiest and most stressful highway, known for its charming tree-lined roads and its complete lack of merge lanes.

4. “UConn is a basketball school.”

Translation: Don’t even bring up football. Whether it’s the men’s or women’s team, UConn basketball is basically a religion. Football? Let’s not talk about it.

5. “Wanna go get some apizza?”

Translation: New Haven pizza is the only pizza that matters. If you don’t know the difference between apizza (pronounced ah-BEETZ) and regular pizza, someone from Connecticut will be happy to explain—at length, and with deep emotional investment.

6. “I’ll meet you at Stew’s.”

Translation: We’re going grocery shopping, but it’s also a tourist attraction. Stew Leonard’s is half grocery store, half amusement park, complete with animatronic cows and free samples. You’ll go in for milk and leave with a cart full of cheese and regret.

7. “There’s no good seafood in the Midwest.”

Translation: Connecticut folks take their seafood seriously. If it’s not a lobster roll (hot and buttered, not that cold mayo nonsense), clam chowder, or whole-belly fried clams, we don’t want it.

8. “I don’t pump my own gas.”

Translation: I’ve been to New Jersey too many times. Connecticut doesn’t have full-service gas stations, but we’re next to the one state that does. So, if a Nutmegger hesitates at the pump, they’ve just spent too much time in Jersey.

9. “That’s in Fairfield County.”

Translation: That’s basically New York. Fairfield County is a world of its own, filled with hedge fund billionaires, Metro-North commuters, and people who somehow still believe they live in a small town.

10. “The traffic on I-95 is brutal.”

Translation: You will never get where you’re going on time. Whether it’s rush hour, construction, or just Connecticut being Connecticut, if you’re driving on I-95, plan for at least a 30-minute delay. Even at 2 a.m.

11. “We don’t have an accent.”

Translation: We actually have at least three different accents. Northern Connecticut sounds like Massachusetts, Southern Connecticut sounds like New York, and everyone else just pretends they don’t hear it.

If these phrases make sense to you, congratulations—you’re either a Nutmegger or you’ve spent way too much time stuck in I-95 traffic. And if you’re still confused, don’t worry—just grab a hot lobster roll, order an apizza, and start complaining about property taxes. You’ll fit right in.

The post 11 Expressions Only a True Local Connecticut Native Will Understand appeared first on When In Your State.



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